Well my inbox was flooded after last week's minute and the results are in.
An overwhelming number of you reported missing my voice and several people shared their company actually blocks YouTube.
So, I may continue to experiment with new forms of technology, but this week I'll leave it up to the experts like Ken Blanchard and Barbara Glanz.
My friend Patrick Galvin, over at the Buzz Builder sent me a SLIDE SHOW LINK that had me balling like a baby. This is an excellent training on how one person can spark a difference.
Speaking of training I've been in a one month intensive and I'll be unveiling some new branding soon.
Also, I am unplugging from my computer more over the next few weeks and for the first time in over two years I'll be taking a break from the MMM. This is until June 5th.
However, keep your eyes out because I may surprise you with a teleclass or LIVE training opportunity.
Monday Mindfulness
This month I invite you to join me and unplug from your computer more regularly. If you work in front of your computer try taking some mini-breaks, walk outside of your office, and ignite a new perspective.
This week MMM Love it/Hate it? Leave a comment in the box below.
I'm Jason Stein and you'll need to use your imagination for a "Gooooood Mooooorning" today.
I'm recycling today's post from another one of my blogs and continuing to learn videocasting, so no audio today.
I know some of you have seen this, but really can we have too many reminders about becoming a rule breaker?
I've probably broken at least 5 spelling and syntax errors already
Children often remind us to break the rules.
For example my daughter Sierra and I sent my sister, JoJo, this video.
While we were recording live Sierra said "Happy Birthday" to her aunt.
Now, JoJo's birthday isn't until June 10th, but when you're breaking the rules who cares!
You can wish people "Happy Birthday" three months early, wear shorts in the middle of wiinter, and even make up words like SIQUA.
The results from our 22 second video made JoJo's day. Not to mention the people in her workplace were begging JoJo to play it again and again.
We all get stuck in ruts in our work and end up trying to follow the leader, but isn't it the black sheep rule breaker that finds new paths, creates new adventures, and ultimately makes the world a better place.
Monday Mindfulness
This week stretch your comfortablility and go break some rules?
Love this MMM, Hate it, or just want to share what rules you're breaking. Take a moment and fill out the comment box below.
Recently, my cousin Erik, from Extended Horizons, sent me an article from the Washington Post. The Post played a trick on morning commuters at L’ Enfant Plaza in Washington D.C.
They convinced one of the leading violinists in the world, Joshua Bell, to dress up like a struggling musician and play for people as they rushed to work. After 1,097 people passed by in 43 minutes, the scientific experiment was over and the results were in.
Only a few people stopped at all and listened to the beautiful music. Mr. Bell who usually makes $1000 per minute performing received a mere $32.17 for his public concert.
Would you have stopped?
Busyness is an epidemic. In my trainings, I often ask participants if they work at the computer and work on the phone at the same time? Almost all of them do. How many take a breaks to close there eyes and listen to some tranquil music or just the beauty of everyday sounds? Occasionally a lone ranger will raise their hand.
And why is this? People report over and over again it is because they are too busy. They have more to get done that they can possibly complete. There is not enough time to stop and listen.
But what is the cost?
Is the the busyness you experience at work getting carried over into your personal life? Are you rushing around so much that you don't even know what you may be missing?
Monday Mindfulness.
This week take a few minutes and pay attention to sounds. Listen for a child's laughter, or someone giving a compliment. Really take some time to pay attention to your auditory awareness. You may just find that beautiful notes are being played right there in front of you.
Last week I was tagged by Dawud Miracle. Dawud didn’t tag me as in being spray painted on a wall nor did he touch me and then run away.
In the age of the internet, Wikipedia describes a tag as a (relevant) keyword or term associated with or assigned to a piece of information (like picture, article, or video clip). Thus it describes an item and enables a keyword-based classification of information.
In this specific case of tag, Dawud asked me, on his blog, this great question, that all started with another blogger, Alex Shalman. Tag: What are my absolute gotta get goals?
I must admit, I’m not always a big fan of viral questions spread on the internet, but hey, Dawud didn’t tell me I was going to get bad karma for life if I didn’t share this with 10 people. And it got me thinking about what is most important to me and why.
My Answers?
To grow old with my family. Careers come and go, friendships come and go, but family is always there. I love my family. The favorite part of my day is eating dinner at the dinner table when my wife and daughter, our sharing and laughing. To watch my children graduate high school (yes, I said children. Our second is due September 5th). I was going to say college, but in 13 more years who knows what the future will bring to education.
To connect as many good people together as I can. We live in a society fueled by cynicism and fear, and, for many people, it’s hard for them to create healthy community. I want everyone in the world to know that they are not alone. Like pieces in a puzzle, there a people who fit perfectly in each of our lives.
To do good works in the world in a way that also provides financially for my family. It’s vital to my soul to have work that is meaningful. It is equally important that this work allows for my family to live a comfortable life.
There are a lot of other goals, like to become a household name, have a net worth of 10 million, be on the NY Times BestSeller List, but when reflecting, they are goals and not Gotta Get Goals.
Monday Mindfulness
This week ask yourself, "What are my Gotta Get Goals in this lifetime?" I know you're busy and it’s a big question. Plot some time in your calendar and make an appointment with yourself to write out your answers. And please feel free to share them in the comment box below. I would love to know.
PS Speaking of goals, I've always wanted to give a church service and guess what? I will be this Sunday April 15th at the The Whole Life Church in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
If you live in the area I'd love to see in person.
Have you found yourself a bit anxious about money lately?
The thought of unpaid bills or the task of trying to squeeze in some more time away from work has left you feeling a bit freaked out and totally overwhelmed.
You may find yourself taking that age old advice to just put your head down and get more done. The problem is as you keep working harder more work is showing up and the rainbow at the end tunnel has turned into three more appointments and 100 more emails to respond to.
Instead of being driven to get ahead you may be driving yourself head first into a panic zone.
How can we avoid slamming into the panic zone when relating to money?
The first step is to pay attention to the three following zones that we all live in and identify where you are:
The Comfort Zone – This is a safe zone and in this zone we know what we like and what to expect. The challenge is we may repeat habits with money that don't serve us and keeps our finances stagnating in the same place.
The Learning Zone – This zone gives us the ability to grow and expand as we learn new skills and we create a new relationship with our finances. This helps us form new healthy strategies.
The Panic Zone – This is where we are no longer learning. We either begin to withdraw, become aggressive, or completely shut down when relating to our finances.
Although stepping out of your comfort zone may not be easy, it will serve you to get into the learning zone even if it means you may hit your panic zone every now and again.
There is something quite empowering to observe the voices of defensiveness or paralysis around finances without taking permanent residence in the land of worry and panic.
Monday Mindfulness
Notice when you've surpassed your learning zone and you've landed right in the middle of your Panic Zone when relating to thoughts about money this week.
Have you ever heard the expression, “Money is the root of all Evil”
Timothy 6:10: Right there in the Bible, isn’t it?
Well, yes and no.
It does have those words, but the actual quote is “For the love of money is the root of all evil.”
Quite a different perspective when we put it in that context.
We often misinterpret and create myths when it comes to money and life. Perhaps it's because money and our realtionship to it isn't discussed in most families.
In my own life I had thought growing up that money was bad thing.
My Grandparents on both sides had become millionaires yet my parents chose social causes and a much more humble life-style. Never discussing money as a family and hearing about strings being attached, I did believe that money was the root of all evil.
Although my parents didn’t consciously instill this value, I thought that either you do good in the world or you make money. You couldn’t possibly have both. However this is just another myth. There are people in every sector of business that both make the world a better place and make money each and every day.
Let’s take a look at some of the other common Money Myths:
Wealthy People are Greedy If You Want More Money, Don’t Spend Money Would Solve My Problems
Unfortunately until you break the myth, you'll find yourself in the same patterns again and again.
Monday Mindfulness
This week know that like everyone in the world, just like you too, were raised with certain money myths. See if you can catch yourself making statements that may not be true about you and money.
Also, I'm excited to launch two new classes related to Money this Wednesday.
If you resist money, it causes pain in your life or if you just want more of it, these classes are for you.
Have you ever watched a child who really wants to share their toy or food with another child?
Their face lights up. They get excited that there is enough for a friend and they experience the magic of sharing.
Now imagine a child who doesn't want to share. They're having a temper tantrum and they begin to shout, "mine, mine, mine."
If both of these children were, in fact, companies, which company would you want to support?
I once met a woman who worked with Stumptown Coffee here in Portland. She shared the company has a passion for helping the small farmer with health insurance and safe water. And because of this help to the farmers Stumptown Coffee does costs more.
Now I love Stumptown coffee, I don't mind paying more for it, and it's great that they've learned how to share their profits.
However, taking a clear look at my consumer choices, I must admit, I use the largest cable comany in the nation and they will probably soon become a monopoly, I don't have a clue who my cell phone supports besides themselves, and my car only gets 26 mpg.
Does this make me a bad person. Of course not. Do our money choices either support the company who shares and makes the world better or the one that continually shouts, "mine!" The answer is absolutely yes!
Monday Mindfulness
Join me this week and pay attention to where you’re spending your money. Notice without judment if your purchases are with people who honor the world as much as you do.
I remember being up, thousands of feet above the mountain range, in Albuquerque, New Mexico alternating between complete terror and total excitement. As the plane rose higher and my stomach began to churn I remember thinking to my self, “Wow, this is really playing full out.”
3-2-1 and out I jumped, with an instructor harnessed to my back, screaming to earth at 125 mph. Within seconds of the rip chord being pulled we were weightlessly sailing through the air. I could see for hundreds of miles and I could only hear the silence of the wind.
I remembered this story recently when I had the realization that somewhere in the day to day of living; working long hours, raising a family and paying the bills, I had moved my sense of adventure to the back burner.
I’ve ridden motorcycles in Morocco, been scuba diving in Maui, ran with the bulls in Spain, and dogsled across the Canadian border, however lately the concept of adventure is more the risk of choosing the hot curry over the mild, or should I shave today or not? Where has my sense of adventure gone and how do I reconnect with it?
I’m wondering if you can relate? Do you, like me, find yourself stuck in the monotonous aspects of living? Do the lines from day to day, even from week to week, blur as you go to the same desk on the same days, eating the same things.
Monday Mindfulness This week I invite you to take a risk with me and do something brave. Something unplanned or unexpected, even if it’s a small step in an adventurous direction. Make an adventure for yourself and remember that you’re never too old to explore, try new things, and be your own rock star.
Keep your eyes out because my next offering is going to be about adventure.
Have you ever been blindsided by some feedback, requested or otherwise, that was completely unexpected? Perhaps feedback that tipped you off your center? This recently happened to me twice in the same week.
Not all feedback is going to be what we “want” to hear but it does not mean we “shouldn’t” hear it. The first feedback I received was an email from a reader that started with “Shame on you Mr. Stein.” This reader felt that an article I wrote about getting caught up with work and resisting time with my daughter was appalling. After my first gut reaction, which was to defend my point, I found myself sitting with what the reader had said and was able to digest the email. I saw that, for me, there was nothing to justify and I let it go.
Yesterday, however, was a bit different. I received an email from a reader at Ameriprise Financial. He shared a valid concern about last week’s MMM titled “Neuro-Forecasting”. After reading the email, I immediately saw his point of view and realized that nowhere in the article had I discussed how the lecture at Ameriprise inspired me. The Trainer, at that lecture, spoke of Moral Intelligence and the importance of helping clients understand emotional decision-making. What I neglected to include in that MMM was the acknowledgement of that company's sense of responsibility to educate their staff, clients and their community. This lecture actually stimulated further thinking on my part in neuro-topics that lead me to writing that MMM.
I must admit I felt heartsick for quite a while as I sat at a blank email screen wondering how to accurately respond in a way that would express my sense of embarrassment as well as my gratitude for the courage it took to share this feedback. This invaluable feedback, however hard it was to hear, inspired me to see where I missed the mark.
The workplace is a ripe place for giving and receiving feedback. The lesson I learned this week is two fold. First, we often miss the opportunity for contribution by choosing not to provide constructive feedback out of fear of making waves or being misunderstood. And second, we can continue to cultivate an inner awareness and openness to receive what we may not “want” to hear in an effort to hear some vital truth. Not doing either can lead to layers of resistance in your working environment and cause huge communication breakdowns.
Monday Mindfulness Notice where you’re resisting either giving or receiving constructive feedback with someone in your community and make a step to give or receive in an open and connected way.
Keep your eyes out for the prefix “neuro” which is rapidly coming into modern day business conversations. You’re going to see words like neurobusiness and neuropolitics. Just last week a past client from Ameriprise invited me to hear a speaker share about neuroeconomics.
What’s up with all the neurology?
By studying brain chemistry, business and political agendas will get a competitive edge on understanding the physical, mental, and, yes, biological reactions of their target market otherwise known as you and me.
Now this is not new information. Advertising firms have spent billions of dollars in an attempt to understand how they might tap into the emotional control centers of the public brain. For decades, they have followed the scientific research and employed scientists of their own in an effort to understand how you and I react and what is going to make us choose their product, whether it be pain pills or presidents.
Research money is being spent, not only to study the emotional impact of our decision making, but also, specifically, to learn what neurologically occurs inside our body while making these decisions.
Now just like the Force in Star Wars this information can be used for good or evil.
However if it is used at all, I don’t want to be played in that manner; I want to know as much about my decision making as the next neuro specialist selling me something. Don’t you?
One of the ways that we begin to understand our own reactions, is through the study of Mindfulness. We take a look at the contents of our consciousness without judging ourselves. This can give us some spaciousness to notice our reactions without thinking or making any automatic decisions. This gives us some time to notice where we have automatic urges and has us choose powerfully out of fullness rather than fear.
A teacher of mine, Alan Cohen, often says, “Use Your Mind or Someone Else Will.” And I now see how true this statement is. Monday Mindfulness
This week bring awareness to your physical and emotional states when making any decisions regarding money. Slow down your automatic urges just long enough to make powerful choices.
Offering
Do you want to know how you can use your mind so other people don't?
